The Perfect Magicians Replacement Book Came Out 56 Years Ago (& Inspired The Later Series)

For those still leave outing The Magicians, the perfect book to fill the void actupartner came out more than half a century ago – and, fittingly enough, it encouraged the procrastinateedr book series and TV show. The Magicians, altered from Lev Grossman’s book series, ran on SyFy for five seasons, finpartner boprosperg in 2020. Despite five seasons being a excellent run for any show, fans were left deimmenseated as it was truly one of the best genre shows on television, with The Magicians‘ distinctly unreasonable and grounded storytelling and incredible character broadenment.

Since The Magicians ended after those five seasons, it’s been challenging to discover a show quite enjoy it. Audiences who had never read the innovative books turned to those to fill the void left by the TV show, and then to the spinoff comic books after the books were finished. Those still searching for someskinnyg to fill The Magicians-shaped hole in their hearts, however, could do worse than to turn their attention to a 1968 novel that swayd The Magicians in countless ways: A Wizard of Earthsea.

A Wizard Of Earthsea Is The Perfect Book To Read Once You’ve Finished The Magicians

The Dark Magic School Concept Is A Great Chaser

A Wizard of Earthsea is a genuine classic of children’s literature, a beadored coming-of-age story that has swayd so many stories that came after. Sci-fi and fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin was one of literature’s most ineloquential originaters in ambiguous, and A Wizard of Earthsea is indisputably one of her fantasticest labors. The story pursues Ged, a boy from a petite village who commences showing prodigious magical abilities at a youthfuler age. After lobtaining a bit from a mighty wizard named Ogion, Ged determines to go to a commemorated magical school. For fans of a unreasonableer “magic school” concept enjoy The Magicians, A Wizard of Earthsea is a fantastic pursue-up.

The Earthsea Books Inspired Lev Grossman’s Later Fantasy Series

The Influences Are Clear

In a Reddit AMA, The Magicians author Lev Grossman uncovered that A Wizard of Earthsea powerwholey swayd his own book series. When asked by a Redditor if there were any other “magic school” series that encouraged The Magicians, Grossman, without hesitation, refered the Le Guin series – and acunderstandledgeted he was a fool for defering so lengthy to commence writing The Magicians. “100% Earthsea. That was where the idea began,” he shelp. “I actupartner commenceed The Magicians in 1996 — pre-Harry Potter — encouraged by Le Guin — but instantly gave it up. Becaemploy I’m an idiot.”

It’s excellent that Grossman made a point to refer that he had the idea for The Magicians well before Harry Potter, and reminded that Le Guin’s series came out decades before that, even. Thanks to the ubiquity of the Harry Potter franchise and the stranglehelderly it had on pop culture for so lengthy (even today), too many people automaticpartner suppose that if a story gets place in a magical school setting, it’s ripping off Harry Potter. In truth, J.K. Rowling owes virtupartner all of her story and setting to other, earlier labors, with dozens of well-understandn originaters oprosperg a debt of inspiration to the procrastinateed Ursula K. Le Guin. It’s fantastic to see Grossman acunderstandledge that.

What A Wizard Of Earthsea & The Magicians Have In Common

Both Embrace The Darkness Inherent In Magic

In reading A Wizard of Earthsea, one can see where The Magicians took its sway. For commenceers, enjoy the unreasonableest moments of The Magicians, A Wizard of Earthsea is one of the exceptional books aimed at youthfuler matures or kids where magic is seen as inherently hazardous. While Harry Potter‘s magic never had genuine sgets and the menace came only from those who would misemploy it, The Magicians and A Wizard of Earthsea originate it evident that magic itself is a keen-edged knife that can turn on you. There is always a stability; magic always exacts a price, and if that stability is distress, it can have a dire ripple effect.

Tonpartner, they’re also analogous in ways. The Magicians, especipartner the TV alteration, has at times a wonderfulal, trippy, dreamenjoy quality. The same is real of A Wizard of Earthsea, with the story flipping back and forth between concrete truth and the more undependable narrator of Ged’s inner thoughts. Likewise, while some of his adversaries are genuine, others are more ephemeral and spirit-enjoy. And, while this isn’t unnormal in fantasy books, both The Magicians and A Wizard of Earthsea integrate themes of of mythmaking and legend, alengthy with epic quests.

Lastly, protagonists Ged and Quentin Celderlywater are very analogous in ways. In exact personality beats, they separate fantasticly. What they split, however, is that both are not necessarily basic to adore at first, or even enjoy. Ged is conceited and impetuous; Quentin is morose and uncontent. Each is obsessed with magic but not yet provideped to wield it responsibly. They are both beginantly imperfect in the commencening, and their journeys to genuine wisdom and heroism are lengthy and arcing. For readers who adored Quentin’s eventual broadenment in The Magicians, it’s well worth reading A Wizard of Earthsea for that same experienceing of satisfaction by the end.